Alaric had originally intended to go through with it, but Emerald managed to talk him out of it just in time.

The old man signed the contract, then glanced at Emerald again. “I’ll agree to this partnership, but she won’t. Her stance hasn’t changed. I have no problem with you keeping her around, as long as she doesn’t take the title of Mrs. Corrigan. She can have anything else—but not that.”

“You brat, you need a wife who can help you build your career, not drag you down. If you marry her, do you really think her family can offer a respectable dowry? Do you want our Corrigan to become...